City council approves Dynamo stadium plan

Houston City Council unanimously approved a proposal
to build a downtown soccer stadium for the Dynamo and Texas Southern University football at their meeting Wednesday morning. The stadium would be located on the east side of downtown, across U.S. Highway 59 from Minute Maid Park and the George R. Brown Convention Center.

“This is a great day for the city of Houston and a great day for Harris County,” said Councilman James
Rodriguez.

The vote had been
delayed one week after Councilman Jarvis Johnson tagged the vote expressing
concern the stadium project would violate the city’s current deal with the
Houston Rockets, but those fears have since been allayed. The proposal must now pass the Harris County
Commissioners Court before construction can begin. That vote could take place
as early as Tuesday.

“We are now making firm plans in terms of architects,
contractors, and all the things we have to do to stay on schedule to open up the
2012 season in our downtown stadium,” said Dynamo President / General Manager Oliver Luck.

The entire process is estimated to cost $95 million, with the Dynamo taking on the $60
million of stadium construction and tax increment reinvestment zones
from the city and county paying $20 million in infrastructure improvements. The City of Houston had already purchased the land for $15 million and earmarked it for the stadium project.